FIC Report (Katsina State) – The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), in collaboration with The Katsina State Government hosted a pivotal town hall meeting in Katsina, as part of its 2026 nationwide subnational engagement and technical reform workshop on business enabling reforms and investment competitiveness.
The event took place at the banquet hall of Hillside Royal Suites in Katsina on Thursday, 2nd July 2026.
The workshop was divided into two sessions; the morning session covered the technical reform aspect, while the afternoon session covered the private sector stakeholders engagement.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors with the aim of strengthening the implementation of Ease Of Doing Business Reforms at the subnational level, fostering collaboration between government institutions and the private sectors, identifying regulatory and administrative bottlenecks affecting businesses, creating a platform for direct interactions between policy makers and private sector partners, developing actionable recommendations for improving investment attractiveness and competitiveness, as well as enhancing awareness of PEBEC reform initiatives and digital tools.
The Executive Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umar Radda, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Faruk Lawal Jobe, declared the workshop open and described the engagement as part of the state and federal government’s effort to strengthen national economy by supporting businesses.
The Deputy Governor emphasised that investors should spend more time growing their businesses than navigating unnecessary administrative procedures. He also said that public institutions should be solution providers not obstacles, and that every genuine investor deserves a government that is responsive, transparent and accountable.
He expressed his deepest appreciation to PEBEC for its vision and specialising the town hall meeting. “These engagements have transformed the relationship between state government and the private sector by creating a platform where challenges can be discussed openly, experiences can be shared honestly and practical solutions can be developed collectively”, he said.
The Director General of PEBEC, Princess Zahra Mustapha Audu, delivered her speech virtually, where she welcomed the participants and appreciates the state government efforts in deepening economic competitiveness, strengthening the business environment and unlocking the vast potential that exists across the federation.
She emphasised that states must endeavour to make deliberate choices, identify the sectors where they can compete effectively, and also invest strategically in those sectors in order to remove barriers to growth, and also communicate those opportunities consistently to the world.
She reiterated that through PEBEC and other reform initiatives, the federal government continues to work closely with states to improve regulatory efficiency, enhance delivery services, streamline processes and strengthen the ease of doing business across the states.
Earlier in his opening remarks, The Director General O Katsina State Investment Promotion Agency ( KIPA), Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi, welcomed the participants and urged government and the private sectors to come together, exchange ideas, identify challenges and work collectively towards practical solutions that will strengthen the business environment in the state.
He said such engagements recognise that lasting reforms can only be achieved when government listens to those it serves, thereby providing available platforms for governments and the private sectors to engage openly.
The PEBEC Team Lead, Barrister Jafar Shuaibu presented his speech on ” Strengthening Regulatory Governance Through Regulatory Impact Analysis”(RIA), which focused on the importance of evidence based regulation, policy assessment and stakeholder consultation in improving regulatory governance and reducing unnecessary burdens on businesses.
Moreover, Dr Rebecca Bolanle Ukpevo of The PEBEC Team, spoke on ” Understanding The Investment Cycle And Improving Investor Experience”, where she examined various stages of the investment cycle and highlighted measures required to improve investor satisfaction, facilitates investment entry and encourage investment retention.
Furthermore, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman also gave a presentation on, ” Harmonization Of Levies, Fees And Regulatory Charges “, where he emphasised the need to streamline taxes, levies and fees in order to reduce compliance burdens and improve the ease of doing business.
The workshop also featured panel discussions where robust sessions where held on how to derive deeper engagements and collaborations toward an improved business environment, as well as reform challenges and opportunities.
The panelists include; Dr Faisal Umar Kaita, Honourable Commissioner, Katsina State Ministry Of Lands And Physical Planning; Alhaji Muhammad Isyaku, The Executive Chairman, Katsina State Internal Revenue Service; Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi, Director General, Katsina State Investment Promotion Agency; as well as Barrister Jafar Shuaibu, PEBEC Team Lead.
In his closing remarks, The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry Of Land And Physical Planning, Dr Faisal Umar Kaita appreciated the State Government, The PEBEC Team, The Panelists, The Participants as well as Ladies And Gentlemen Of The Press. He also urged the participants to fully utilise the knowledge gained in the workshop inorder to boost their businesses and investments.
Amina Bello K/Bai
Principal Information And Public Relations Officer.
